As we mark World No Tobacco Day today, it is imperative that we reflect on this year's theme: "We need food, not tobacco." While smoking continues to pose a significant public health threat in Thailand, we must also recognise the adverse impact of tobacco cultivation on tobacco farmers, food security and the environment.
Consider this -- in Thailand, approximately one in 10 people lack access to sufficient food. Yet, some agricultural lands are being used to cultivate tobacco. Thailand is the second-largest tobacco leaf producer in Asean and the 16th-largest globally.
According to the National Economic and Social Development Council, Thailand faces a "food security crisis", despite being the world's 13th-largest food exporter. UN agencies last year reported that 10.5% of the Thai population faces severe food insecurity (ie, no food for a day or more). In fact, Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) is one of the two Goals that are regressing in Thailand.
